Simplify the tax code? Governor says it can be done

Gov. Andrew Cuomo wants to rid the code of provisions he calls a nuisance, such as the boxing and wrestling exhibitions tax, a tax on agricultural cooperatives and the stock transfer tax.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says he wants to simplify New York's tax code.

The governor wants to rid the code of provisions he calls a nuisance, such as the boxing and wrestling exhibitions tax, a tax on agricultural cooperatives and the stock transfer tax.

The proposals are part of a larger tax effort unveiled Monday that includes corporate income tax cuts and property tax freezes.

Cuomo says he also wants to raise the threshold for the filing of a personal income tax return from $4,000 to the level of the taxpayer's standard deduction. He said that would eliminate the need for 270,000 taxpayers to file a return.